e.linker99 Posted September 21, 2013 Share Posted September 21, 2013 For me, It was certainly a challenge to get the handheld app working on an Android tablet, so I hope these notes might encourage anybody in a similar situation to try it. Firstly, the manual states the tablet must be running ICS 4.0 (or higher?) and must use the Google Chrome browser. For a comparatively ancient (2 years old?)Arnova 10 G2, that was the first adventure: the scary instructions on the ArcTools forum offer a way of upgrading the 10 G2 from its native Gingerbread to a custom firmware of Ice Cream Sandwich and Google Play. Note that a more recent Arnova model, the G3, is supplied with ICS – but there’s no way to get the Chrome browser on to it, unless you install similar custom firmware, again available from the nice people at ArcTools. So, following the complex trail through ArcTools to (1) download the custom firmware they wrote, (2) and the Rockchip flashing tool needed to write it to the tablet, then (3) figuring out how long to hold the paper clip in the RESET hole, (4) when to press the Volume + key, (5) how to install the Rockchip Windows driver on the PC ... let’s draw a veil over all that 48 hours or so, I nearly gave up, but ... I persevered. Go on, you can do it too! So, the tablet re-boots, and the ArcTools logo smiles at you for a few seconds. Yes, its ICS! And yes, there’s the Google Play app that will allow you to download and install the Google Chrome browser ... after signing up to Google and promising them they can take lots of money from your credit card... but Chrome is free! That was the easy bit. Following the instructions in the manual to set the PC to a static IP address was comparatively simple, so I started RailMaster (on the PC) and pointed Chrome (on the tablet) at the “my-tools.eu” address in the manual. Sure enough, RailMaster appeared on the tablet after a short while, showed my chosen track plan ... but no locos! Several more hours tweaking everything I could think of ... interrogating the BT Home Hub, cabling the PC to my router instead of relying on Wi-Fi, restarting everything over and over ... so close, but STILL NO LOCOS! It was at this point I almost decided to buy an iPad. Perhaps all versions of Android ICS (especially the ArcTools customisations) aren’t created equal. Perhaps being a cheapskate like me(I got the tablet for nothing from my friend who couldn’t live with it) deserved to fail. One last try. Picking up the tablet and restarting RailMaster one more time, I saw a very brief glimpse of the locos panel – about a tenth of a second before it disappeared, to be replaced by the track plan. I tilted the tablet, this way, that way .... (the orientation sensor is definitely a bit flaky) and FINALLY, there it was ... the track plan AND the locos! Excuse me while I go, grinning like an idiot, and speed up the Class 47 diesel, and slow down the 2-6-0 MT from my cheap tablet ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDS Posted September 21, 2013 Share Posted September 21, 2013 @e.linker99 Your title says it all. Well done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishmanoz Posted September 21, 2013 Share Posted September 21, 2013 Yes, well done linker, most people found the networking on static IP to be the hard part. Even though it took you a while, it must be satisfying to see it work. Then you never learn anything new about computers until something goes wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idlemarvel Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 Well done. I have a similar Android tablet (Archos). I got it working but I find it aggravating that you need to be connected to the Internet (to access my-tools.eu) to run the app. I don't have Internet access in my shed where the layout is. Why can't it just be an ordinary app you can download and install? I have been using and will continue to use VNC to display the screen of my Windows XP laptop on my Android tablet to operate RM. It works exactly the same and is free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
e.linker99 Posted September 24, 2013 Author Share Posted September 24, 2013 VNC - that's a great idea, Dave! Could have saved me a couple of days heartache (or was it fun?) So, without internet access, you must be using an Android client that you can configure to use your local network - can you let us know the name of the client software, and the VNC server on your XP? I gotta try it before my 60-day evaluation of RailMaster Handheld come to an end ... many thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idlemarvel Posted September 24, 2013 Share Posted September 24, 2013 I put the details on the forum some while ago, see below for details, but basically it is RealVNC server on the XP laptop and android-vnc-viewer on the tablet. https://www.hornby.com/forums/hornby-forums/hornby-railmaster/2473/?page=1#post25005 Cheers, Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
e.linker99 Posted September 24, 2013 Author Share Posted September 24, 2013 It Lives, Igor! Thanks again Dave, RealVNC + their Android client = more success. I wish I'd read your useful post earlier, Cheers Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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